Use the Bonner Scholarship Application link above and your Rhodes College application portal email address and password to access the Bonner application.
Rhodes is part of a national consortium of Bonner Scholars, an innovative and pioneering program for scholarship and community service, supported by the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation of Princeton, NJ. The Bonner Scholarship is for entering students who have a passion for service and social justice, and who require financial assistance in order to attend Rhodes. If you are passionate about effecting positive change in the world, you may be a good candidate for this award. Each year, we select 15 incoming first-year students with exceptional records of leadership, community-service and/or social-justice work to participate in a unique, four-year leadership program. Since 1992, the Bonner Scholars Program has supported a growing spirit of service at Rhodes, helping us move from a strong history of volunteerism towards campus-wide service based learning, civic engagement, and community based advocacy.
As a Bonner Scholar, you will be challenged to connect your academic studies, personal beliefs, leadership skills and philosophy of service to real-life organizations and situations.
As a Bonner Scholar you will:
- Prioritize community service and personal leadership development during college
- Engage in 10 hours of weekly service and leadership activities each semester
- Embark on a service learning trip during spring break of your first year with scholarship cohort
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50
- Participate in memorable activities and twice annual team building retreats
- Travel to meet other Bonners in the region for a weekend service trip in the spring of your sophomore year
- Work full time in community service for two summers
- Integrate learning into your service experiences through access to exciting guest lecturers, seminars, and ample opportunities for reflection
- Enter college with a strong sense of belonging by participating in productive meetings not only with your cohort but with upperclassmen in all Bonner Meetings
For your participation in the Bonner Program you will be rewarded with:
- A scholarship of $10,000 per year
- A stipend of $1,500 per semester, based on fulfilling the weekly service requirement
- Your documented need (as determined by the FAFSA) met through institutional and federal funding (if eligible), which may include subsidized loans
- $1,000 living stipend and $1,500 in earnings for each of the two summers you participate in service projects
- An additional $500 available to senior Bonner Scholars for a final summer service project or for a special project during senior year
- A four-year program of leadership development, reflection, and service activities
Requirements for the Bonner Scholarship:
Any student applying for admission to Rhodes College has access to the Rhodes Bonner Scholars Program application. Students are expected to have a high school record that is competitive for admission to Rhodes, as well as an exceptional record of service and/or social justice work and leadership. Furthermore, the national Bonner Foundation’s motto is “access to education, opportunity to serve.” Both the Foundation and the Rhodes Bonner Scholars Program maintain a deep commitment to educational access, cohort diversity, and ongoing student support. The average EFC of a Bonner cohort is around $7,500 (EFC being Estimated Family Contribution, as determined by FAFSA and/or CSS Profile information). Students whose families’ EFC is at or below $15,000 are especially encouraged to apply.
Important Dates in the Application Process
Early Decision I Checklist (Deadline of Nov 1, notifications within two weeks of applying)
- Application for admission to Rhodes by Nov 1 (Common App);
- FAFSA and/or CSS Profile completed by November 1;
- Bonner Scholarship Application completed within 7 days of submitting the Common App to Rhodes.
Early Decision II Checklist (Deadline of Jan 15, notifications within two weeks of applying)
- Application for admission to Rhodes by Jan 15 (Common App);
- FAFSA and/or CSS Profile completed by November 1;
- Bonner Scholarship Application completed within 7 days of submitting the Common App to Rhodes.
Early Action Checklist (Deadline of Nov 15, notifications in mid-Jan):
- Application for admission to Rhodes by Nov 15 (Common App);
- FAFSA and/or CSS Profile completed by November 15;
- Bonner Scholarship Application submitted by Nov 21.
Regular Decision Checklist (Deadline of Jan 15, notifications in mid-March):
- Application for admission to Rhodes by Jan 15 (Common App);
- FAFSA and/or CSS Profile completed by Jan 15;
- Bonner Scholarship Application submitted by Jan 21..
Are you a Bonner Alumni?
Gain professional leads and connections by joining the Bonner Foundation's global online community, Bonner Connect, today.
Funding for this program is provided by the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation.